Peter Gutwein and his government have shown complete contempt for the Burnie community by laughing at and dismissing suggestions the Premier should attend a public meeting on the relocation of the Burnie courthouse.
Deputy Labor Leader and Member for Braddon Anita Dow said the Premier’s response in Question Time today to genuine community concerns is a huge slap in the face to the entire Burnie community.
“This morning, I lodged a petition in Parliament, signed by more than 1,200 people, which reflects the anger and concern in the Burnie community over the planned relocation,” Ms Dow said.
“It calls on the government to reverse its plans to relocate the courthouse to the proposed Mooreville Road site and commit to redeveloping the court either at the current site or a suitable site in the CBD.
“What beggars belief is that when I questioned the Premier in Parliament about whether he would attend a public meeting to discuss the issue, he and members of his government laughed at the suggestion and dismissed it – not once, but twice.
“What a massive insult to Burnie residents, businesses and stakeholders who will be impacted by this move, and what a revelation about how this government views regional Tasmania.
“The community is rightly angry over the lack of consultation on the project and the devastating impact on businesses of removing 50,000 people each year from the CBD, and the effect on people’s access to legal services.
“Significant concerns have also been raised by the business community, the Law Society and the Burnie Council but Mr Gutwein arrogantly refused to commit to even meeting the full council.
“And, in a clear sign that he is completely clueless about Burnie, Mr Gutwein tried to compare the situation to the Supreme Court location in Hobart, claiming the courthouse doesn’t drive business in Salamanca.
“Salamanca is a tourist and hospitality precinct and bears no relation to Burnie’s CBD in any way and Mr Gutwein’s comments show just out of touch he is.
“State Government funding for the revitalisation should not be a trade-off for moving the court out of the CBD. The Burnie court must stay in the Burnie CBD and the Government should provide funding for the CBD regardless.
“This government has a history of not listening to Tasmanian communities and the Premier’s comments today have put his contempt on full display.”
Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
